Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Dubendorf Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Dubendorf

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,550 in Meilen versus $3,879 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,422 in Meilen versus $5,803 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,295 in Meilen versus $7,726 in Dubendorf.

Living in Meilen costs roughly 8% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Meilen 165% above, Dubendorf 190% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.33 CHF 24.78

$30.59 CHF 24.19

2.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$146 CHF 115

2.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.66 CHF 14.76

$18.17 CHF 14.38

2.70%

Cappuccino

$6.19 CHF 4.90

$6.44 CHF 5.09

-3.88%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 CHF 4.81

$5.68 CHF 4.50

7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CHF 4.19

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.43 CHF 6.67

$7.56 CHF 5.98

11.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CHF 5.89

$7.18 CHF 5.68

3.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.16 CHF 1.71

6.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$3.30 CHF 2.61

-0.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.26

$3.99 CHF 3.15

3.26%

Eggs

$7.52 CHF 5.95

$7.33 CHF 5.80

2.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.67 CHF 23.47

$29.71 CHF 23.50

-0.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.85 CHF 26.77

$32.06 CHF 25.36

5.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 39.86

$49.00 CHF 38.76

2.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CHF 3.35

$3.23 CHF 2.56

31.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$2.80 CHF 2.22

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.39

$3.16 CHF 2.50

-4.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 CHF 4.13

$6.99 CHF 5.53

-25.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 1.98

$2.85 CHF 2.25

-12.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.38 CHF 1.88

-3.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.04

$2.47 CHF 1.95

4.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.90

$1.67 CHF 1.32

-31.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.99 CHF 8.69

$10.89 CHF 8.62

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 CHF 12.31

$15.04 CHF 11.89

3.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$2.18 CHF 1.73

-0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$2.99 CHF 2.36

-24.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.18

$7.68 CHF 6.07

-47.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 CHF 77.7

$122 CHF 96.8

-19.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 CHF 5.43

$6.74 CHF 5.33

1.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.28

$4.16 CHF 3.29

-0.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.9 CHF 62.4

$80.1 CHF 63.3

-1.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$2.27 CHF 1.79

-1.32%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

$40.0K CHF 31.7K

2.43%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.5K CHF 31.3K

$39.8K CHF 31.5K

-0.77%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$255 CHF 201

$263 CHF 208

-3.14%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$59.4 CHF 46.96

$36.37 CHF 28.77

63.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CHF 45.51

$54.2 CHF 42.84

6.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.3

$86.4 CHF 68.3

2.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.1 CHF 51.5

$56.4 CHF 44.61

15.50%

Cinema Ticket

$27.58 CHF 21.82

$24.57 CHF 19.44

12.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,847 CHF 2,252

$2,668 CHF 2,110

6.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.3K CHF 31.1K

$39.4K CHF 31.1K

-0.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 112

$148 CHF 117

-4.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.46

$65.6 CHF 51.9

-4.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$150 CHF 119

-0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 159

$199 CHF 158

0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CHF 1,320

$1,828 CHF 1,446

-8.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 CHF 1,141

$1,859 CHF 1,471

-22.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,880 CHF 2,278

$2,730 CHF 2,160

5.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 CHF 1,975

$2,873 CHF 2,273

-13.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

$13.9K CHF 11.0K

2.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,399

$10.7K CHF 8,472

-0.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,496 CHF 6,720

$4,109 CHF 3,250

106.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.5

-16.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Meilen: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,669 in Meilen and $1,828 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 107% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $150 in Meilen vs $146 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $669 vs $667 per month, with Dubendorf cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Meilen vs Dubendorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meilen and Dubendorf differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($3,550 vs $3,879 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Meilen pays 107% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,669 in Meilen versus $1,828 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,550 per month in Meilen versus $3,879 in Dubendorf – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Meilen runs roughly 25% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Meilen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Meilen and Dubendorf are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Meilen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.